Sprint Car Racing

Head Games four-wheeled flop is, as common sense would tell you, runnin' on empty.

Head Games isn't known for the quality of its product lineup. Duds like Extreme Watersports and Wham-O! Frisbee Golf blanket the bargain bins, and they're usually concerned with getting a good license than making a good game. Still, the times they are a-changin'. Both WizardWorks and ValuSoft are making concerted bids for the budget sector. Software prices steadily drop and boxes grow more flashy in proportion to the rate at which development budgets plummet. Hard up for a way to survive market upheaval, the brass at Activision's value label had a tough choice to make. Uphold their reputation or sacrifice their raspberry award winning integrity in lieu of publishing slightly (and we do mean slightly) more credible titles such as Sprint Car Racing.

Let me start off by saying that, by looking at the packaging, it appears that Head Games is for a direct rip-off of WizardWork's and Ratbag's upcoming Dirt Track Racing: Sprint Cars. The logo on Sprint Car Racing is exactly the same as Ratbag's original DTR, as well as the box mock-up we've seen for DTR: Sprint Car Racing. Don't be confused by the packaging, though. If DTR: Sprint Cars is anything like the original DTR (which it should be given that they use the same engine), DTR: Sprint Cars should prove to be a fairly deep racing sim. Unfortunately there's not much to Head Games' foray into the Sprint Car arena.

Since there's not much to the game, I'll try to keep the nasty comments and obvious criticisms to a minimum. Of course, this rule won't apply until after we've taken the chance to blast the game for its uncustomizable controls, lack of racing modes, absence of multiplayer support, and nonexistent stance on quality of content. Or, along the same lines, the putteringly slow sensation of speed, similarity of track backgrounds (which are minimalist in nature to begin with), and split-second weather changes. Phew. Now that that's out of everybody's system, let's move on to the nitty gritty, or whatever the heck's left, shall we?

Arcade racers have to keep players occupied for a modicum of time to qualify for a decent review score. Seems obvious, right? But somehow this fact's escaped notice by Spring Car's producers, who've only programmed in options for single runs, practice trials, and five course circuit races. Needless to say, gamers won't be fawning over the product. And those who do lay hands upon the title will discover only eight cars to choose from, all of which are available from the beginning.

The weird part is, no difficulty settings can be highlighted, with car attributes (acceleration, speed, handling) taking their place. This means that if you want the game to be challenging, pick a slow vehicle like the Deuces Wild, and if you'd prefer to blaze past the competition, grab the Five Card Stud or another high end pimpmobile. Regardless of the auto chosen, all of them look like dune buggies with windbreaker sheets strapped on for good measure. Therefore sprint car or no, you'll feel like you're racing on the short bus, not a manly hunk of rotors and metal.

Surprisingly though, the driving model's not 100% percent scrap heap material. While competitors don't pose much of a threat, nor the short, rounded tracks, slippery terrain can become a hazard. Believe it or not, weather effects such as fog and rain leave moisture on the ground, releasing oils in the road that dangerously reduce your tires' traction. Taken in perspective, by folks who've played long enough to notice how badly powerslides can kill a car's forward momentum, this is a serious issue.

Yet the title's bad points pummel its positive aspects so soundly you'd be hard pressed to pick up on little tidbits like that. Adding to the problems is the same smattering of immobile, unnatural trees that hugs every circuit's skyline. Track textures shift colors with changes of venue but not to the point that meaningful differences make their presence known. None of the course designs is especially well laid out for fun either. As for the choppy framerates, well, we won't even go there. The sound effects, consisting of engine roar and crowd cheers, get the job done adequately, if not with any flair. Conversely, the rollicking country rock soundtrack will make a believer out of you, Garth Brooks' groupie or no.

So to sum things up, I'll be damned. Sprint Car Racing isn't blasphemy in a box, just a bit crap. And although that's normally reason enough to tear it a new one, far be it from a responsible journalist to berate a company for upping its standards a smidgen. Granted, this doesn't justify a purchase, or even a second glance at the product, but perhaps it signals a kinder, gentler era for budget software publishers. One in which they embrace their lack of care for the consumer and make an effort, however minimal, to meet with current genre standards. Whether that's just wishful thinking or the dawn of a new era, only time will tell. Not that any of us give a hoot anyway, with bigger and infinitely better things on the horizon.